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Notify technique with proof: Usage independent information on market confidence, development, and customer need to guide your tactical instructions. Confirm investment plans: Make sure resource allocation and initiatives are backed by reliable market insight. Speed up confident decisions: Equip members of your executive team with clear, actionable insight to reach agreement rapidly and take decisive action.
1 GCC, "HE GCCSG: The FTA in between the GCC and the UK is a Major Strategic Opportunity to Raise Economic Relations to New Horizons," October 20252 GCC, "Joint Declaration on Economic Cooperation Between the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)," Might 2025 3 IMEC, "India-Middle East-Europe Economic Passage (IMEC) Development Update," April 20254 WAM, "UAE's CEPA programme strengthens international economic ties with 26 strategic agreements," March 20255 Muscat Daily, "Oman, India set to sign open market pact 'extremely quickly'," September 20256 India Embassy Qatar, "India-Qatar Bilateral Relations," June 20257 Reuters, "Qatar's QIA plans to at least double yearly US investments over next decade," Might 2025; WAM, "US$ 110 billion in UAE investments in Africa position nation as world's fourth-largest investor," October 2025; Whitehouse, "Fact Sheet: President Donald J.
Boards throughout Africa are entering a specifying cycle. Capital is tighter. Examination is higher. Danger is more interconnected. And the quality of boardroom judgment will significantly identify which organisations sustain development and which fall behind. In reaction, Climb Club, a presence launchpad curating gain access to and opportunities for board- and C-level ladies, in cooperation with BusinessDay, is introducing a new regular monthly boardroom discussion convening accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the highest levels of governance and corporate management and who are members of Climb Club.
This inaugural session brings together board specialists to take a look at the real pressures shaping board agendas today: INSIDE THE BOARDROOM: The Strategic Dangers and Top Priorities Shaping 2026 Financial discipline in constrained markets Evolving regulative and governance expectations Innovation disturbance and cyber strength Long-term worth development and sustainability imperatives Management choices boards must prioritise heading into 2026 Ascent members and speakers consist of: Mediator Nnoli Akpedeye MD/CEO, Contego Servo Limited Speakers Sarah Ajose-Adeogun Managing Partner, Teasoo Consulting Ochanya R.

Deborah David CFO, Powergas It is a convening of executives contributing directly to governance, threat oversight, and tactical direction within their organisations. Through this partnership, Climb Club and BusinessDay are purposefully developing a recurring forum that surface areas board-level insight, enhances trustworthy female governance voices, and broadens access to the strategic thinking emerging from Africa's conference rooms.
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Overall assets held broadly consistent over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued repositioning and as a response to geopolitical news rather than a significant new capital release. International macro conditions set a challenging backdrop.
The GCC ETF universe comprised 39 ETFs with a total AUM of $9.35 billion (since Q1 2026). Performance across the market was broadly negative, with only 13 ETFs providing favorable returns compared to 26 in decline. In general, the information reflects a market that is active but narrow, with capital and liquidity focused in a little subset of items.
Why Timing Is Everything for Your Saudi Market EntryEfficiency in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of idiosyncratic winners, rather than broad market strength. The leading ETFs were concentrated in specific country direct exposures and products, particularly Turkey, Saudi petrochemicals, gold, and Egypt. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt were resilient throughout the quarter. Saudi Arabia's oil exposure supported its local market, with Aramco reaching new highs amid higher oil costs, in addition to its continued ability to export oil through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which stays open.
Egypt provided strong performance in January and February. Regardless of a market pullback in March due to the war, both Egypt's market and its ETFs still published favorable returns for the quarter. The continuous Middle East conflict and resulting energy shock have improved the outlook for emerging market equities in between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector also dealt with more comprehensive macro headwinds, consisting of a more cautious policy background in China and worldwide risk-off belief driven by geopolitical tensions and higher energy rates. Thematic ETFs also struggled for the most part, especially those connected to carbon and high-growth technology, as evaluation pressures and international rate characteristics weighed on efficiency.
Flows in Q1 2026 were modest and extremely focused, showing selective allocation rather than broad market participation. Regardless of weak performance, ETFs tape-recorded $27.1 million in net inflows, with only a small number of items bring in new capital.

Trading activity stayed constant, with average 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, concentrated in a handful of bigger and more liquid ETFs. Most activity appears to have actually taken place in the secondary market, allowing investors to change positions without significant main developments or redemptions.
In January, Boreas released its S&P Global Luxury UCITS ETF, adding a niche thematic direct exposure focused on worldwide high-end and customer brands. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some progress associating with ETFs in the GCC. We anticipate more worldwide and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC during 2026. While the conflict has affected sentiment and prices during the quarter, it has actually driven more volume and interest in regional assets.
Why Timing Is Everything for Your Saudi Market EntryIn spite of ongoing geopolitical stress and security dangers throughout the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have actually continued to show resilience, keeping favorable development momentum recently. While conflicts in the larger region and international financial unpredictability remain a structural restriction, GCC countries have so far limited their impact on domestic financial efficiency through strong fiscal positions, policy continuity, and continual financial investment.
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